Improvement in refrigerators



J. PLATTE- Refrigerator.

No. 2l2,74l. Patented Feb. 2 5,1879.

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' 1 quip ITED STATES PATENT OFFIen.

JOHN PLATTE, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT lN REFRIGERATORS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 212,741, dated February 25, 1879; application filed December 19, 1878. i

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, JOHN PLAT'IE, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Refrigerators, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanyin g drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents a vertical section in the plane a m, Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section in the plane y 3 Fig. 1.

Similar letters indicate corresponding parts.

This invention relates to a special construction of drip-catcher, for conducting the dripwater from top ice-chambers of refrigerators; and it consists in a corrugated sheet-metal table or platform, inclining downward on all sides from the central portion thereof, and having its lower edges bent to form gutters, and upwardly-inclined walls, in which are arranged registers for regulating the downward flow of cold air, in combinationwith separately-formed sheet-metal gutters, arranged under the gutters at the edges of the dripcatcher, and having inward-projecting edges, the upper gutters being for the purpose of carryin g off water from the melting ice, and the lower gutters being for the purpose of catch in g and carrying off the water which 0011- denses upon and flows down the under surface of the drip-catcher.

By this construction I provide a neat and compact arrangement of devices permitting and regulating the flow of cold air from the ice-chamber to the provision-chamber, but effectually preventing the dripping into said provision-chamber of any water whatever.

In the drawings, the letter A designates the ice-chamber, which is supported by the floor B, and provided with a slatted bottom, O, that supports the ice. Below the slatted bottom is situated the drip-catcher D, from the edges of which rise partitions E up to the floor B, which supports the ice-chamber. Below the drip-catcher is the provision-chamber F.

The partitions E are provided with air-holes and registers a, and if these registers are closed the communication between the icechamber and the provision-chamber is closed; but when said registers are opened the cold air which descends from the ice chamber passes down into the provisionchamber, and, consequently, by manipulating said registers the temperature in the provision-chamber can be regulated and maintained at a uniform point, and at the same time great economy in ice is effected.

The drip-catcher is peaked or double-in clined, and it is made of corrugated sheet metal, so that a series of channels are formed both in its upper and in its lower surfaces. The channels in the upper surfaces serve to conduct the drip-water into gutters b, formed near the lower edges of the drip-catcher, and the channels formed at the bottom surfaces of said drip'catcher serve to conduct the water resulting from the condensation of the moisture in the air into gutters c, which are secured to the drip-catcher, as shown in the drawings.

By referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings it will be seen that the registers a are situated near the lower edges of the drip-catcher, so that the cold air which descends from the icechamber will strike the drip-catcher before it escapes through the registers down into the provision-chamber, while the warm. air which rises in theprovision-chamber is carried off through suitable fines formed in the walls thereof. By these means a perfect circulation of the air is effected, the moisture which condenses on the under surface of the drip-catcher is carried off by the gutters c, and a uniform temperature can be maintained in the provision-chamber.

I do not claim, broadly, as my invention a peaked or double-inclined drip-catcher, such being not new.

\Vhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- In a refrigerator, the corrugated sheetmetal drip-catcher D D, inclining downward on all sides from the central portion thereof, and having its lower edges bent to form the gutters b, and inclined walls having the registers a a, in combination with the sheet metal gutters 0, formed separately from gut ters I), and arranged thereunder, with inwardprojecting edges, whereby the cold air is guided to the provision-chamber, but water is prevented from dripping into the same, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 17th day of December, 1878.

JOHN PLATTE. [L. s.] Witnesses:

W. HAUFF," CHAS. WAHLERs. 

